Irish stew as their club is put up for sale to pay off its debts

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In a move that has enraged its club members and divided the close-knit Irish community, the Irish National Association of Australia is proposing to sell two-thirds of the Gaelic Club in Sydney.

Some members say the Devonshire Street club will wither away if the sale goes ahead.

A motion to be put at an extraordinary general meeting of the association tonight proposes the sale of the ground and mezzanine floors for $3.45 million.

The association, the building's owner, will be left with only $500,000 from the exercise after a loan of $2.1 million is paid out for building works, and $850,000 is "paid to the Gaelic Club for its debts and loans", the motion says.

Life-member Kevin Doyle said the club's licence was granted for "our culture, our music and our song" and the club, which opened in 1956, should move rather than sell part of the building.

Richard Devine, a pensioner and member since the club opened, said: "It only took us 50 years and now it's out the back door. I want to see it sold the whole hog . . . they should give the money to all the old pensioners [to] have a good piss-up."

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The club re-opened in March 2002 after renovation costs blew out from an expected $1 million to $1.8 million, said club chairman Edmund Sheehy.

It was hoped the new band venue created in the renovations would revive the club's finances.

Money was borrowed from individuals because the banks "don't like to lend money to clubs".

The association's president, Denis O'Flynn, could not be contacted last night.